Smalma

Thank you for your well thought out reply as well as your caveats, this did contain the most typo’s of any of your previous high quality posts, perhaps it is because you are speaking from the heart.

With regards to citing peer reviewed all I can say is that in Oregon ODFW is precluded from citing or using any study that has not undergone peer review when formulating any intricate or complicated biological policy or opinions. This requirement comes from an October 2000 Legislative Management review of ODFW and has in my opinion worked well in raising the bar of scientific correctness. This does not mean that ODFW staff cannot look at other data, but when laying the basis for policies and programs they must present logical and well considered reasons for each action. I enjoy this scientific approach and believe everyone should follow this example. However it is not incumbent upon WT to follow these rules. The only bar they must hurdle is the legal one, and as if you have not learned yet requires no measure of fairness or truth. All that will be required will be proof of either WDFW’s arbitrary implementation of safety protocols regarding hatchery augmentation or their failure to follow specific legal requirements for incidental take from hatchery operations.

Many other people on this thread have grumbled that WT efforts should be aimed somewhere else first like gill nets and ocean harvest. I do not feel that way. It is like the analogy of trying to reduce car accidents. Suppose there is a lady who drinks a bottle of tequila before driving from Portland to Seattle and is definitely impaired. She also during the trip talks on her cell phone and applies makeup the whole way. Now, many people might think that each action is something that can equally cause an accident, and that might be true. But the first thing I would aim at stopping is the act that is illegal as I would have the law to back me up. It does not mean that her other actions are not likely to cause an accident but they are not at this time against the law.
Gill nets are not illegal, incidental take without a permit is. You do not have to like it but it is the law. It is not up to WT to make gill nets illegal, it’s up to all of us… beathead


P.O.S. Clerk